Class Dismissed
by Sonic Sunshine
Summary: Some lessons must be shown, not taught.
A tense silence reigned between them after she made her announcement.

The outspoken girl standing in the doorway glared at the woman on the throne with a clenched fist. She had never remembered being this furious in her life. Still, she could never lash out at the woman sitting on the throne. The bitterness in her heart had spurred her to action. Still, she could not say that she hated the other priestess. Hatred could not survive within the walls of the Temple of La-Rooska. The aura of light and love felt within these sacred walls could quell even the most savage of hearts with time.

That was why she had to leave.

Sitting atop her throne in perfect composition was the High Priestess of La-Rooska. The woman now known as Claire the Current. The one who has reigned over the Kingdom of Tranquility and La-Rooska for as long as any living Lunatean could remember. Her Kingdom's core element radiated from her in spite of what had just transpired. It could hardly be called an argument. An argument involved at least two parties participating.

Claire listened, then spoke. Carefully. " The Temple of La-Rooska exists to offer the Goddess' guidance to those in need of direction. You were lost once, Leo. Thirteen years ago you were abandoned on the steps of the temple. A small, frightened, child who did not understand what she had done to upset her parents _this_ time. We took you into the temple with love and the promise that you would be taken care of. "

" That I would be _trained_. " Leorina hissed, her anger returning.

The High Priestess Claire did not miss a beat. " That you would live your life as the Goddess Claire planned. The Goddess has brought you here. Now, the Goddess is sending you away. I understand that this is her will and pray one day that you will understand - "

The distinctive sound of the wind cracking was enough to bring the knights rushing into the throne room. The High Priestess was not visibly hurt by Leorina's outburst; a shot of concentrated wind that send her priestess' hat shooting past the left side of the throne. It was dangerously close to the High Priestess' head, but it had not physically touched her. A few strands of her perfect hair had fallen out of place.

At first, the guards raised their swords to Leorina but a motion of High Priestess' Claire's hand made them stop.

Leorina would not yield. " **You** are the one who doesn't understand! " The younger priestess roared. " I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for **you** to speak down to me every day! The Goddess said this. The Goddess said that. The Goddess has done everything that was ever an inconvenience to you. "

The younger could not stop the tears from falling. " ... is that it, Claire? Are you blaming the Goddess for burdening you with me? Are you angry that I can't be the sweet little angel that you want me to be? Are you disappointed that I didn't become an obedient little pawn? That I wanted a life of my own? Why don't you tell me how you really feel, Claire? Instead of telling me how the Goddess told you to feel!? "

The High Priestess Claire looked down upon the crying Lunatean carefully. Her tranquil expression did not change. Her eyes did not waver. Leorina knew that look. It made her fur bristle. She was both looking at her and looking _past_ her. Into the very depths of her being. That look, those eyes, always filled her with an uneasy feeling.

She took a breathe. " I am happy for you, Leorina. "

* * *

Leorina's world became a blur of colors through tears. Fortunately, she did not need to see to know where her chambers were. She'd walked the halls of the temple so many times in her decade long imprisonment that she could navigate between any point blindfolded.

She did not stop until her fingers caught the first handle of the dresser drawer in her bedroom. Only then did she collapsed on her knees in a heaping sob. High Priestess Claire was, for better or worse, the only parental figure that she had in her life. Her biological parents were never around much longer than it took to shuffle her from one home to another. A month after her fourth birthday they took her to the gardens of the Sky Temple and never came back.

The young priestess thought it was a stretch to call Claire a mother. The High Priestess had been so far removed from her that she felt more like an entity that hovered and offered advice than someone who had actually cared for her. At times she questioned whether Claire was even Lunatean. She rarely showed emotion, or affection, or any other sign of actual life outside of physically being there. Leorina would not even had known that she eaten if not for a few late night prayer sessions where she took in some water and crackers.

Eventually, Leorina found the strength to pull open the drawer. Atop her belongings laid a newly purchased leather drawstring sack. The sack was pulled open and she began pulling through her belongings with a sense of new found urgency.

She needed to get out of here.

She needed things to become real again.

Leorina only had four changes of civilian clothing among her dozens of robes. Three were rolled and placed in the bag along with the meager jewelry and trinkets she had been gifted by worshipers. The modest purse carrying approximately twenty thousand Dream Stones was gathered as well. From her shelves she took a hand drawn map of Lunatea, her journal, and one of her favorite books. An epic about a girl who had traveled the world in search of adventure.

It did not take Leorina long to change. She's grown accustomed to catching all of the layers of her priestess' robes by the hem and casually pulling them over her head in one fell swoop. They were discarded on the floor where they would remain. In their place she pulled up a pair of grey pants that allowed her tail to move freely. A purple sleeveless button-down top completed the look and actually brought her some relief on this cool Spring night. She had not noticed how uncomfortable and overheated she had been between the robes and her anger until she shed them.

The bag was thrown over her shoulder so she could climb out of her bedroom window. Though she could have taken the long way around she had no desire to approach the throne room again. Her window lead to the gardens. From there she could follow the ordinate river out of the Temple.

She had decided to stay the night an inn in the village surrounding the Temple. From there it would be a day's walk to Breezegale. Three more to Jugkettle. And week from there to Volk where she would be able to reunite with an old acquaintance.

Leorina's new wind had only faltered when she spotted another, smaller, figure climbing down from a window a few from hers. It was at that moment that the priestess was served a grim reminder that she was not the only one who had her share of problems.

Though it was no longer her place, or her problem, she felt compelled to say something. " Guntz? "

The young wolf pup's eyes snapped in her direction. " What? " The boy who was all buy ten landed shakily on his feet while carrying a bag of his own. Leorina noticed that it was only half full. The orphans did not have as much opportunity as the priest and priestesses to collect belongings. It was likely that his was only filled with clothing.

Leorina approached, but knew better than to step within the boy's personal space. Guntz had been one of the most difficult cases that had ever come through La-Rooska. Orphaned due to a heinous murder, the pup had a cold and distant personality that made it difficult for others to get close to him. While most orphans who came through La-Rooska were adopted within weeks of arriving Guntz had been here eight months without so much of an offer. In all likelihood he would remain in the Temple and have to take on some form of training when he became of age in two years ... just as she did many years ago.

The priestess pulled a pin from her pack and concentrated. The bulb of the pin began to glow with a mystic light before she offered it up to the young boy. " You shouldn't leave without _all_ of your belongings. " Leorina started as she placed the pin in his hand. " This will disarm the wards that protect the storage room in the northeastern corridor. The items that Claire took from you when you arrived can be found in the lock-box with your name on it. "

Guntz looked down at the pin. " What will you do, Miss Leorina? " He could not help but ask the question when he looked back to her.

That answer came easily for the young priestess. " I will become as free of the wind, Goddess willing. " Though she no longer believed in the teachings she still allowed certain phrases to show up in her vocabulary. " And you? "

" I need to keep a promise I made to my dad. " Leorina's heart sank when he mentioned his father so casually. " I am going to become a Hero. One who's strong enough to stop people like Janga! "

Leorina could no longer resist the urge to pull him into a hug. " Believe in your dream with all your heart. " She smiled sincerely before allowing the pup the space he desired. Guntz took a step back and their eyes met. " Go get your gun and medal. I'll wait, and accompany you as far as Breezegale. " Leorina considered going back into storage with him but concluded that the smaller and faster wolf would be less likely to be spotted, especially after the stunt she pulled tonight.

A small, fading, part of the priestess had hoped that Guntz's journey would only take him as far as Breezegale. It was a quiet village in the countryside far removed from the problems that the rest of Lunatea faced. Several children who had found themselves in La-Rooska had come to call it home including a bright-eyed child that she thought would be a good friend for the wolf.

A yin to his yang.

* * *

One hour before dawn, The High Priestess Claire rose. An hour long cleansing ritual followed to prepare her mind and body for the day ahead. After morning prayer hat and staff were gathered so she could go to the throne room and hear the day's agenda.

Unfortunately, she already knew the first and second orders of business.

Leorina was gone her attendant would tell her. The High Priestess Claire had already known that Leorina was gone. Her wild aura no longer echoed through the walls of the temple. She had left at some point during the night and slept in a rented bed somewhere in the village. If she sent the knights they would have Leorina back before her by noon - but she would not. Leorina was gone. Leorina was free. Leorina would one day travel across the sea and find a home in the Forgotten Kingdom.

That was the Goddess' will.

That was not the only pressing issue. The young orphan from Mira Mira, Guntz, had also vanished overnight. The High Priestess Claire could no longer feel his prescience within the walls of the temple. It would be almost a decade before he returned to this place. For now he traveled alongside Leorina. They would part ways tomorrow at sunset. Guntz would be alone for another six years before meeting the one who would change and define his life. She could spare him from the long and tragic road ahead by sending the knights after him - but she would not. Guntz will travel and become one of the finest Heroes that Lunatea has ever known.

As that was the Goddess' will.

The High Priestess Claire knew that neither of them understood why the Goddess has tested them so. Why Leorina had gone so long without a family. Why Guntz had lost his to villains. That Leorina would need to experience loneliness to find the resolve to protect those she cares about. And that Guntz would one day understand that the world was filled with victims who needed people like him to become Heroes. One day they would understand the lesson that could not be taught here today.

For it was the Goddess' will.

* * *

Hey guys. Remember me? /dead

This is both a warm-up story written in about two hours and the beginning of -something- which is supposed to bring Leorina into the Heroes-verse. Long story short, Leorina was a priestess who left La-Rooska and eventually traveled across the sea. Since Heroes happened on the Moon and the mainland she did not appear.


End file.
